The Impact of Diasporas on the Tactics of Rebel Groups: The Case of the IRA and Noraid

Ronit Berger Hobson and Ioana Emy Matesan

Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 2025, vol. 48, issue 11, 1235-1260

Abstract: Do diasporas affect rebel tactics in the home country? We argue that diaspora organizations can influence tactics when rebel leaders are divided, and domestic political opportunity structures are restrictive. Drawing on a variety of primary sources, we analyze the influence of the Irish-American group Noraid on the Provisional IRA tactics during four episodes of the Troubles. When the military and political leadership of the Republican movement diverged over tactics, Noraid’s militant stance and support for Gerry Adams incentivized the simultaneous adoption of both violence and cooperation. Over time, the group also helped consolidate Adams’s leadership and overcome an organizational crisis.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/1057610X.2023.2178079

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